Activities that cause you to sweat profusely, such as intense exercises or stomach flu, can cause dehydration. To prevent dehydration and its damaging effects, you need to keep rehydrating your body. Dehydration is not life-threatening, but it can lead to severe consequences.
You should quickly rehydrate the minute you sense symptoms of dehydration. Severe dehydration can disrupt bodily functions like digestion and regulating temperature. This article highlights the signs and symptoms of dehydration and how to rehydrate fast.
About Dehydration
Dehydration occurs when you drink less fluid than you take in. It occurs when you use up or lose more fluid than you consume, so the body lacks sufficient water and other fluids to perform its functions. When these fluids are not replaced, the body becomes dehydrated.
Water transports nutrients, regulates temperature, removes wastes and toxins, aids digestion, lubricates the joints, helps circulate blood, and keeps the skin healthy. The body, as well as every cell and tissue, needs water to function.
A healthy body has two-thirds of its system made up of water. When the normal water level in the body depreciates, it negatively affects bodily functions and disrupts the balance of minerals, like salt and sugar, in the body.
Populations more susceptible to this condition are young children, older adults, and people with medical conditions like diabetes and kidney disease.
Signs and Symptoms of Dehydration
- Headache: The brain is encased in a fluid sac that prevents it from bumping against your skull. The protective layer of the fluid sac gets thinner when you don’t consume enough water, which subsequently leads to headaches and migraines.
- A Dry Mouth: When you get dehydrated, the production of saliva becomes slow, leaving your mouth with very little fluid to stay hydrated.
- Tiredness: Lack of water and other fluids hinders the performance of the body. In a desperate attempt to preserve energy, the body makes you tired.
- Bad Breath: Dehydration slows down saliva production, which leads to bacterial overgrowth and, eventually, bad breath. So if your breath smells a little odd, drink some water and avoid a potentially embarrassing situation for yourself.
- Constipation: Water aids in digestion and moves food along the bowels. Dehydration stops the process and gives you a hard time using the bathroom.
- Dizziness: Low levels of fluid or water in the body can decrease blood pressure, resulting in dizziness or vertigo.
- Dry Skin: The skin gets dry when there isn’t enough water in the body. Blood volume is essential in hydrating your skin, and blood volume decrease when you are dehydrated.
The Fast Ways to Rehydrate
- Drink Water: Drinking water is often the best and most efficient way to rehydrate and stay hydrated. It’s cheap and has no calories or added sugar.
- Eat Fruits and Vegetables: Fruits are made up of 80 to 99% water, so they are a perfect source of hydration and a fast way to rehydrate. Other highly processed foods such as cereals, chips, and cookies contain 1 to 9% water. Fruits and veggies containing very high amounts of water, such as,
- Melon (Watermelon & Cantaloupe)
- Berries
- Spinach
- Pineapples
- Peaches
- Oranges
- Carrots
- Grapes
- Cabbage
- Lettuce
- Tea or Coffee: Teas are diuretic agents that stimulate the kidneys to release sodium into the urine, which removes water from the bloodstream, thereby reducing the amount of fluid in your veins and arteries. Coffee, on the other hand, contains stimulant caffeine. Both can cause brief dehydration in excessive amounts.
However, coffee and tea comprise mainly of water, so when consumed in moderation, coffee and tea are just as hydrating and energizing as water. Many studies have found that coffee is dehydrating when it is taken in 250-300 mg (8-ounce cups of coffee) or five to eight 8-ounce cups of tea.
- Skim Milk and Low Fat: Milk contains great hydrating properties. Many studies revealed that the high amounts of electrolytes found in milk help balance the level of water in the body. In addition, skim and low-fat milk rehydrate excellently like sports drinks since they provide protein and other nutrients ideal for muscle repair.
- Oral Hydration Solutions: These are specialized water-based formulas used to stave off the dehydrating effects of diarrhea and vomiting. They are used to support exercise recovery and treat hangovers. These solutions contain electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, chloride, and sugar, usually in the form of dextrose. More commercial solutions contain prebiotics and zinc.
Conclusion
Dehydration is a result of the body losing more fluids than it consumes. Drinking water regularly is the best way to rehydrate and stay hydrated. Mild cases of dehydration take about 45 minutes to recover, while severe cases can take up to 24 hours. Always consult with your doctor about your hydration/dehydration status.
